Cigar-making machine



July 26 1927.

A. NOEL CIGAR MAKING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. March 8 1921 Ill Ill A. NoEL cien; MKING MACHINE July 2s 21927. i 1,636,922-

Filed March 8, 1921- 2'Sheets-.Sheet 2 'l ATTORNEY.

Cil

Patented July 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES l,.636,92iy

ALLEN NOEL, or coLUM'BUs'," OHIO.

crean-MAKING MACHINE.

Application filed March 8, 1921. Serial N o. 450,780.

My invention relates to cigar making ma'- chines and more particularly to a rolling apparatus. In cigar malii'ig the lbunch breaking' operation usually performed consists in collecting in the cperatos hand, sufficient filler material to form a cigar of the desired'size, Which .liller material While being held in straight.' parallel relation.` is broken otll to approximately the desired length of the cigar. This filler material is then Wrapped tightly in a section of tobacco leaf known as the binder. ln order that the cigar shall draw readily and burn uniformly, it is necessary that the liller material shall be uniformly distributed and evenly arranged Without being tvvistedi For successful hand rolling of cigars, it is therefore necessary that the liller material be of full length and short length filler and scrap' cannot be successfully made into cigars ofunifrom quality. The' present invention is designed to enable the rolling of short length filler material and scrap tobacco Without distorting nor twisting thebody of filler material to such extent- 'as to interfere lWit-h the passage of air therethru. Y

lVhile machines .have Vheretofore been devised and successfully used for rolling cigars, the object of the present invention is to'simplify the structure as Well as the means and mode of operation of such devices, whereby they Will not only be cheapened in construction, but Will be more etlicient in operation, uniform in production,

automatic in action, rapid and capable of being successfully operated by persons unskilled in the art of cigar making. v

A further object of theinvention is to provide -improved means for bunching the iller material, and holding it compactly yet without distortion While the binder leaf is being wrapped thereabout.

A further object of the invent-ion is to provide an apparatus which will rotate the bunch-of filler material to Wrap the binder thereabout with uniform tension.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which will roll cigars automatically of substantially uniform size.

lith the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification", vthe invent-ion consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of` operation or their equivalents as hereinafterdescribed and set forth inthe claims.

.Referring to the drawing, Fig. l is a top plan view of the assembled machine form'-l i'ng the' subject matter hereof. Fig'. 2 is a side' elevation thereof. 3 is aside elevation of the pedal operated pawl and ratchet drivemeans.

Like' parts are indicated by similar characters of reference thruout the several Views. Y The cigar rolling or bunch breaking"7 machine forming the subject matter hereof may b e mounted in any suitable manner, preferably upon supporting legs or on a table having laterally extending leaves or shelves to afford supports for ther raw materia-l and finished product. However, the apparatus may be mounted in groups or series upon a continuous table or counter, or otherwise supported aswmayv be foundy most convenient. The present deviceis vdesigned for treadle or foot 'poiver operation, tWo treadles being used, one of which is applied to compress Vthe bunch of filler, While the' other treadle actuates the mechanism tor roll,I

the compressed body and Wind the binder leaf thereabout. It will be obvious ythat motor power may be applied in lieu ofthese treadle operations.l 'y n A .Referring'to tliedratvings, l-l comprises the lbed of the main' body from which pro- S ject upwardrposts or standards 2-2 to afford supportfor a series `of apronsor vtrav'- eling belt supporting rollers. c, Journalled in the bearingfposts or standards 2 are rollers 3 andl 4 While'V at the forrvard end' of kthe main frame is a third roller 5y of son'ieivhat greater diameter,journalled in `an adjustablev bearing head 6. `This bearingfheactG is slidinglyxmount'ed uponguide rods or ivay's extending,intermediate a pair of posts or standards 2a and'is adjusted toV and fro by, means of a'cljustingscrew's 8. Passing about the rollerse; 3 and is an endless traveling belt or apron 10'.l The bott'omrlor base l ofthe machine comprises a platen or support over vwhich the apronor belt ,lO `travelsv and by which it. is supported toprevent sa e' it C.

ntermediat-ewthe rollers V4 and 3/ andtangentiallyvto suchgrollers is a supporting shelf Y,

or platen 11,Wl1ich also supportsthe upper length of the ybelt or apron l0 to prevent orvslaclr intermediate therollers l and 3. However, this' belt ory apron fis of-suiiicient length that intermediatethe lrollers 5 and 6 is formed a bightcl,1 loopvlQ. Being supported 'throughoutsubstantially its en;

tire' path of travel, except between the top of the rollers 5 and 3, all the slack or sagging of the apron or belt will be concentrated at this point.

Pivoted to the main frame at the point` 1.3 intermediate the rollers 5 and 3 is an oscillatory frame comprising the rock arms let, interconnected at their upper and free ends by an intermediate roller l5, 4of co1npara tively small diameter. The apron or belt passes over this roller l5 intermediate the arms 14, in its passage from the roller 3 to Vthe roller 5, with the slack or sag forming the aforementioned bight between such yroller l" and the roller 3. This swinging frame actuated toward the roller 3 by means of a iY t treadle shown in the drawing, which is ope tiw'i'elyconnected by the link 16 .with lue' or finger 'i7 projecting from the swingarm ll. Upon the depression of the pedal, the' link i6 is drawn downward, oscillating the swinging frame rearwardly toward` the roller 3, thereby closing the bight in the apron or traveling belt by contracting the mouth of such bight shown by dotted lines i'n Fig. 2. ln operation, the filler material whether of long or shortlcngth, scraps or broken pieces are distributed substantially uniformly within the open bight or sag of the apron or belt. The foot `pedal is then depressed to draw the swinging frame rearwardly until the roller l5 approaches quite closely to the periphery of the roller 3. This serves to contract the bight or loop of the belt or apron about the deposited filler material, compressing such material uniformly. Before depositing the filler material and contracting the loop or bight thereabout, the binder leaf section is preferably laid flat upon the top surface of the belt or apron, Yextending` rearwardly from the roller 3 over the table or platen, with its forward end extending downwardly within the loop or bight intermediate the roller 3 and roller 15. The forward end of the binder leaf thus entends within the loop and in contact with the deposit of filler material. VVhil-e the loop is being held con tracted and the bunch of filler material un der compression by the pressure of the `operators foot upon the treadle controlling the swinging frame, the rollers are V,actuated to advance the belt or apron.

As shownin the plan view Fie. l,- the journal shafts of the rollers 3 and il, extend beyond their bearings in the upright posts 2 and carry small bevel gear pinions 19 and 20, -intermeshing with corresponding pinions 21 and 22 upon a longitudinally disposed shaft 23, mounted in suitable bearings in the main frame. These rollers l and 3 are thus rotated in unison. The drive shaft of the roller 3, carries in addition to its bevel gear pinion, a spur pinion 26, with which meshes a driving gear27 upon a power shaft 28, journalled in bearings 29 and 30 upon the main frame. This power shaft 28 carries fixedly mount-ed thereon a ratchet wheel 3l and adjacent there-to an oscillatory lever 32, having` a pawlA 33 operatively engaged with the ratchet wheel 3l. A link or rod connects the oscillatory arm with a foot -treadle beneath the apparatus, upon the depression of which, the connecting rod 34 is drawn downward thereby oscillating the rock arm 32 downwardly and causing the pawl 33 to advance Vthe ratchet wheel 32, and thereby rot-ate the power shaft 28. The power shaft 28 being geared directto the shaft of the roller 3 rotates the roller 3 and with it the roller rl, by means of the inter-meshing gears to advance the belt or apron. The travel of the belt or apron thru the loop or bight from the roller 3 to the roller l5, which bightis being held contracted about the bunch of filler material, causes a corresponding rotation of such bunch of filler material, and simultaneously advances the section of binder resting uponthe apron about such body of filler material. The rw tation of the body of filler material and the winding of the binder leaf thereabout being uniform thruout their length affords a uui formly compact cigar body without twisting the individual `strands of filler, or winding them one about another. Y Y

lVhile rolling cigars by hand requires considerable skill and dexterity, the operation can be performed with the aid of the heretofore described machine, by any one possessing sufficient judgment to distribute 'the filler material approximately uniformly throughout the length'of the bight or loop, and place in position the binder leaf. The cigars wrapped will be of uniform size and compression and the binder leaf will be smoothly distributed.

By adjusting the forward roller 5 toward or from the roller 3 by means of the adjusting screws 8, greater or less amount of sag may be permitted in the belt or apron, thereby increasing or decreasing the size of the bight or loop, and consequently the diameter of the finished product. As a convenience to the operator, a. sack or apron may be provided at the front of the machine to contain a supply of loose/cigar materials.V

It will be obvious that in lieu of the pawl and ratchet movement .for operating the traveling belt or apron, -motor power may be applied and intermittently connected by means of clutchmechanism. The application of motor power is so obvious as not to require illustration.

To avoid friction, the supporting platens or tables upon which the apron or belt rests in its travel from one roller to another, may be provided with small rollers, or other movable support. The purpose of these supports for the belt or apron is to prevent the weight ofthe belt or apron and consequent sag in the lower reach or between the rollers 4 and 3, taking up any portion of the sag between the roller 3 and the swinging trame. By thus supporting the belt or apron thruout the remainder ot its path ot travel, the biglit formed between the roller 3 and the swinging iframe may be maintained uniform, whereas it sag were permitted elsewhere in the belt or apron, the compression et the bight about the binder would take up such incidental sag or slack, and serve to vary the size of the operating bight.

From the above description, it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device ot' the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

lVhile in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the in-l vention is not limited to the specific details shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect and` the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: i

l. In a cigar rolling machine and the like, a main frame, a series of thr-ee rollers mounted therein in parallel spaced relation, an endless traveling apron extending about the outermost rollers with its upper run enrun of the apron being formed into a bight between the intermediate roller and the othei` extreme roller to receive tire material to be rolled a swinvino' vOuide frame located 7 b C! D intermediate the medial and the extreme roller contiguous to said bight and over which the apron passes, said swinging trame beingadjustable toward and from the intermediate roll r to contract and release said bight, means for actuatingj the guide frame and means for advancing said apron.

2. In a cigar rolling machine and the like,

a series of three rollers mounted in sub? stantially a common plane, an endless apron surrounding th-e series of rollers, said apron having therein an excess ot' material forming a dependent bight intermediate the medial roller and one of the terminal rollers ofthe series in which the material to be operated upon is deposited, supporting means for the apronwhereby the size of the bight will be unaii'ected Yby the 'weight oit the belt, a movable guide member for said apron located intermediate the medial roller and the lother terminal roller contiguous to said bight, by the adjustment of which the bight is contracted and opened, and means for advancing the apron and means for adjusting said guide member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of February A. D.

Y ALLEN NOEL.l 

